Sunday, February 22, 2009

SNOW, BREAD AND PROJECTS


Well, here we are in the Great White North (actually southern Ontario) and of course there is more snow coming. It shouldn't last too long, but added to what is now frozen on the driveway and sidewalks, it is getting to be tooooo much!
Okay, whining over, I am warm and safe in my little house, making bread, (well the breadmaker does all the hard work) drinking coffee, knitting, watching a movie on TV.....Bollywood/Hollywood..very lively romance set in Toronto and Mississauga where I have lived so familiar sights and sounds there.
My new project is a pullover for the nice lady that helps my brother take care of my mother. She admired a pullover that I made for myself, so, taking into account her measurements and colour preferences, I am now working on it. It will be the only one like it in the whole world, just like her. I will gift it to her when it is done. Hope that won't be more than 4 weeks from now.
Oh, I heard today that Daylight Saving will start in 2 weeks. Hmmmm, more sun, less snow, can Spring be far away?

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

HAL A PEN ....NOOOO!!!!

Okay....here's some advice and perhaps a little snigger at my expense:
DO NOT TOUCH ANY BODY PART AFTER SLICING JALAPENO PEPPERS!!!!! My first attempt at using (to me) an exotic food in my cooking, has brought me to TEARS!!!! I thought that I would use my Food Dehydrator to dry a Jalapeno Pepper so that I could use bits of it in my future cooking endeavours.
Well, washed it, wiped it, sliced it and put it in the dehydrator. Now here's the OUCH factor....I thought that rinsing my hands would get rid of any volatile oils from the little Devil Pepper.....NOOOO! My nose was itchy and I scratched just under my right nostril.....WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!!!! My upper lip and just inside my nostril started to BURN LIKE FIRE!!! OMG....I thought, oh, just put a little wet cloth on the area....all that did was spread it around. The more I messed with it...like blowing my nose, which now had some of the fire inside, the worse it got. Holy burned septum Batman....that was awful. I remembered, after 10 minutes of hellfire, that I had some ointment that stops itching and burning (not the bum kind) and put a little of that on the areas. After a couple of minutes the burning sensation got less and now of course, my nose is dripping like a tap and I'm afraid of blowing in case I spread the joy.
Well, I did survive and have learned a painful lesson.....USE RUBBER GLOVES WHEN CUTTING UP JALAPENO PEPPERS and wash, wash, wash, even them AND don't touch yerself anywhere!
Time for some caffeine and knitting. My brush with fire has ended.

Oh and a little PS...My fingers around the top knuckles are still hurting like I burned them. GAAAAH!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

FAMILY DAY


Today is Family Day in Ontario. I don't understand why we have to set aside a day to remember our families. Maybe, there are families who don't value one another, and they need a 'smack upside the head' to get their attention.
In the US it's Presidents Day, so why can't we have a similar, Prime Ministers Day?. Our country's population on the whole doesn't have a clue who our previous Prime Ministers were and probably don't know the name of the current Prime Minister. It's Harper, by the way. I think PM Day (not PMS Day!) would be more appropriate to instill some pride in our country. Yay Canada! Land of Indifference, Take our Country for Granted, Let Someone Else Take Care of It, Hosers!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

I FOUND IT!!!!


I found my ambition this morning, and cleaned the "Lower Level" (aka the basement family room) and it's looking nice. I don't use that area much and I really should, as I did a great job of repainting and decorating it, if I do say so myself. It has a fireplace which I haven't used for awhile.....too drafty in the winter. Perhaps I'll get an insert for it. The TV isn't connected down there and that is also on my "to do" list.
Mmmmm.....the chicken with potatoes and carrots is roasting away and should be done soon. Dinner will be a feast for sure. The latest WIP is taking a long time because I keep changing my mind about the length and other things.t will be finished next week for sure. Okay, on to the next job.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

I AM LAZY

I am lazy....I think. I have so much to do around the house and instead, I play on the laptop (mostly Ravelry) , watch TV, Knit and read the Saturday Paper. Well, it is Saturday, and supposed to be a day to indulge....isn't it? I did have a day planned outside the house, but due to illness (my friend's) I am staying home. Oh, well, I have only myself to answer to, sooooo, I give myself permission to be lazy. So there!

Monday, February 9, 2009

SAD

I am very sad today to read about the horrific fires and flooding happening in Australia. In the north there are floods and in the south fires are raging uncontrollably. I am a member of Ravelry which has thousands of members worldwide, including Australia. Our sister members in Australia are going through unimaginable terror and loss. I can't do much from here in Canada, but pray that the loss of life does not continue and perhaps I can contribute some money to a fund that will help the most. Last month it was fighting in Gaza ...members from both sides kept us informed and aware of how short life is, to be concerned with material things. We only have our humanity and each other in times of deep sadness and loss. I send my prayers out to all who are in need. I will do physically what ever I can.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Yikes!!!!

Yikes!!!! I'm actually being a good housekeeper! I must admit that I have been very lax in my upkeep of the house. I decided this a.m. that I would not even touch the laptop or the kntting until I had at least dusted and vacced the livingroom. It started to look so good that I extended the cleaning to the diningroom, hallway and kitchen. Yup....even moved out the furniture to dust behind it. It's a beautiful sunny day {even though it's still coooold out) and the sun shining in is sparkling up my clean house. I still have to get to the upstairs, but time for a c-break and a little internet. Yes! I do feel very virtuous. Hope I don't lose my impetus!



Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Hello


Hello....A new week, and the sun is shining today! We're halfway through winter, let's hope more than halfway through the snow we're going to get! I'm looking forward to Spring, and it always arrives, so I'm not looking forward in vain. There are some new projects I want to start....better finish the one I'm on first. So, to anyone out there who is reading this....look forward, not back and you will always have a GREAT DAY!